MARIETTA, Ga., Jan. 9, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- HealthTronics Surgical Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:HTRN), a leading provider of minimally invasive urologic and orthopaedic services, noted today that two articles published in Foot & Ankle International(r), a publication of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, support the efficacy of shock wave surgery with the OssaTron(r) to treat chronic plantar fasciitis.
The articles, titled "Symptom Duration of Plantar Fasciitis and the Effectiveness of Orthotripsy(r)" and "Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Waves on Calcaneal Bone Spurs," were published in the December 2003 edition of Foot & Ankle International, Volume 24, Number 12.
"We feel that these additional articles continue to validate high-energy, single-treatment shock wave surgery with the OssaTron as a clinically effective and safe treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis," commented Argil J. Wheelock, M.D., HealthTronics' Chairman and CEO.
Foot & Ankle International is the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society's official scientific journal. The monthly publication features scientific articles, review articles, book reviews and letters to the editor "focusing exclusively on subjects pertaining to orthopaedic foot and ankle disorders", according to the Society's description.
About HealthTronics Surgical Services
HealthTronics Surgical Services, Inc. is one of the nation's leading providers of non-invasive and minimally invasive surgical services for certain urologic and orthopaedic conditions. The Company provides technical and administrative services to physicians, hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers using extracorporeal shock wave devices. The two primary services offered by HealthTronics are lithotripsy extracorporeal shock wave treatment, which is a procedure for treating kidney stones in a non-invasive manner, and Orthotripsy(r) extracorporeal shock wave surgery, which is a procedure for treating orthopaedic soft tissue disorders in a non-invasive manner. The Company has operations in approximately 45 states in the United States. More information about HealthTronics Surgical Services can be found at the Company's website, www.healthtronics.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of HealthTronics Surgical Services to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by such forward-looking statements. As always, these expectations and projections are based on currently available competitive, financial, and economic data, along with operating plans, and are subject to future events and uncertainties. Among the events and uncertainties which could adversely affect future periods are: inability to establish or maintain relationships with physicians and hospitals; health care regulatory developments that prevent certain transactions with health care professionals or facilities; inability of the Company or health care providers to obtain reimbursement for use of the Company's current or future products; competition or technological change that impacts the market for the Company's products; and difficulty in managing the Company's growth. Additional factors that might cause such a difference, include, but are not limited to those discussed in the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, and in subsequent documents filed by HealthTronics Surgical Services with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Martin J. McGahan, President & COO